Linus Omark named AHL Player of the Week, more Barons notes

BY RYAN ABER
raber@opubco.com

It had been awhile since Linus Omark had scored four goals in a game, much less five.

“In juniors I think,” Omark said after scoring five in the Barons 7-6 shootout win over Toronto on Sunday night.

Omark said he was about 17 or 18 the last time he’d scored that many in a game and had to stretch back much further for the last time he scored more.

“My tenth birthday I got 18,” the 23-year-old Swede said.

Unsurprisingly, Omark was named the Reebok American Hockey League Player of the Week on Monday.

Omark scored the Barons last five goals in regulation, then scored another in the shootout that was needed to extend the contest.

Barons captain Ben Ondrus has been in the middle of most of the recent five-goal games in the AHL.

Ondrus was on the Marlies when Jiri Tlusty scored five for Toronto on Feb. 18, 2009, the last time it happened in the league. He was also on the St. John’s Maple Leafs when Kyle Wellwood scored five in 2004.

Taylor happy to be back

While the Barons were on their successful 4-1 road trip recently, defenseman Jake Taylor remained back in Oklahoma City as he worked his way back from an upper body injury.

Taylor initially pinpointed last Friday’s return home as his return date but the way the team was playing kept him on the bench for the first two games back.

But Taylor returned Sunday, starting in the Barons win over Toronto.

“It was great to be back,” Taylor said. “Getting injured early in the season like that is pretty tough because you’re just starting to get your feet back under you and feeling good about things.”

Taylor hadn’t played since the third game of the season.

After the game, Taylor said he felt close to 100 percent.

While Taylor is back healthy, winger Philippe Cornet has been an unhealthy scratch during the homestand with an undisclosed injury.